Keep sharing good news without ads.
Pastor David Mitchell
Corinthians this morning and we will begin we're going to read through the first of these verses
Down to where we're going to start today first Corinthians 2 2 for I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified and I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling in my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's
Wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men
But in the power of God, albeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect Yet not the wisdom of this world nor the princes of this world that come to naught
We talked about the fact that the Bible says you are those who are perfect It doesn't mean in a sinless state yet, but it does mean complete you have everything
You need to have in Christ. You don't need to add anything to it You don't need to add religiosity or religion of any kind that man could come up with you are complete in Christ We went into Colossians chapter 2 verses 9 through 21
And we found in that passage that the reason that we're complete is because first of all the flesh
No longer has any right of lordship over us Secondly because we are risen and we have a new nature in Christ the new man
Thirdly because we're risen together with Christ which means we have a oneness our spirit with his spirit are one when we're spirit filled and Fourth because we're forgiven in Christ fifth because we are freed from the ordinances of this world
Including the law and everything that was given For an earthly people because we are a spiritual people
That's why it says wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of this world
Why as though living in the world are you subject to ordinances touch not taste not handle not?
Why are you subject to that? You shouldn't be you are above it because you are seated in the heavenlies in Christ We're also freed from the principalities of Satan and his demons.
We they have no lordship over us We're also freed from all the cult groups and the legalism and the
Judaizers of today You don't have to worship on Saturday because we have an every day all the time
Rest our Sabbath in Christ and we are complete in him Seated above all the ordinances of the world and all of this world's religion
We'd better be above that because more and more of this world's religion is coming I don't know if you heard that the goal of the new
Pope is but his goal is to bring all religions together in one Peace among all the religions is his number one goal of the new
Pope now back to first Corinthians chapter 2 verse 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom
Which God ordained before the foundation of the world and to our glory. That is the mystery of the church age
That is the mystery of being complete in Christ. It makes no sense to this world
It makes no sense to the Catholics makes no sense to the Mormons or any of the isms that are out there because all of man's religion is based upon a system of works and God's mysterious religion of the church age is based on being in Christ period
You cannot add to that You cannot take away from that being in Christ causes you to be
Complete that's why the Apostle Paul said that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men
You see men make up the religions of the world if you've ever been caught up in any of that I have
Then you know how bad it is Legalism of any sort of matter if you put a name on it's not the
Catholics at the Baptists do it the independent Baptists are the worst But our faith is not to stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God How be it we speak wisdom among them that are perfect That's the
Christians those who are in Christ Now as we look back at 1st
Corinthians chapter 2 and we see this hidden wisdom It goes on in verse 8 which none of the princes of this world knew about if they had they wouldn't have crucified
Jesus Why did they crucify him because he didn't play ball? with their religion
He didn't get in underneath their religious hierarchy that the men had invented of The day under that day it was
Judaism but man continually in all groups adds things to God's Word and creates rules and so forth if they try to put men under that they themselves can't keep
Jesus didn't count out of that at all. And so therefore after three years of that they had had all they can stand
They picked up stones several times to stone him when he said if you believe not
He said you shall die in your sins If you believe not that I am you shall die in your sins They picked up stones to kill him several times and finally they took him to the cross
Because the Bible says which the princes of this world had they known it They would not have crucified the
Lord of Glory if they had known the mystery of the church age
The fact that we are complete in him and we don't need man's religion if they had known that they wouldn't have crucified him
But they didn't know it and today men still don't know it but as it is written
I hath not seen Nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searches all things
Yea, the deep things of God So we're talking about how to have the mind of Christ There are some preliminary
Necessities that we've already discussed one is the fact that the Holy Spirit has a ministry of revelation to us
We must have his mind revealed to us Secondly we must understand the idea of justification that we are justified
Not because of works that we do not because of religious systems We're a part of we're justified because on the moment that we were born again
God gave us the Holy Spirit our body became the temple of the
Living God and he gave us a new nature He gave us the divine nature the
Apostle Peter records for us and We cannot dwell habitually in the flesh or in the self and have the mind of Christ at the same time
And fourth it is not that we try to do what Jesus would do But that we possess his own mind
Now that's the part. I would like to go into this morning. We haven't really talked about that yet So turn to John chapter 12 in verse 49
It's not that we try to look and see what Jesus his mind was like and then emulate that That's impossible for us to do in our own power and in the flesh and just by the will of man.
We cannot do that It is far greater than that When we say we have the mind of Christ, we mean that his mind and our mind can be merged as one
His spirit and our spirit merged as one spirit within us within this temple where he dwells
Your spirit is there his spirit is there and we become one That is the possibility and the probability and the commandment that we have in the
New Testament We're not commanded to keep a list of rules. We're commanded to keep that oneness Be you filled with the spirit?
That's a command It is a choice that we make moment by moment and we are not sinning when we go out and do the acts that we call
Sin, we're sinning when we break that oneness and go into the flesh in the self -life All manner of evil can come a
Christian can do any evil Thing that a lost person can do when he breaks that Union doesn't mean he loses his salvation
It just means he's not in fellowship with the one with the groom The bride of Christ being the church
Jesus being the groom they're supposed to be one Spiritually now, this is exactly how
Jesus operated. So let's look at his life as a model I know he's more than a model.
But this morning. I want to look at him as a model. Look at John 12 49 If we are supposed to have the mind of Christ when
Jesus was here. He was supposed to have the mind of the father How did he do this? 1249 for I have not spoken by myself
The little word of can be translated by he means I didn't speak in and of myself when
I speak But the father which sent me he gave me a commandment which
I should say And what I should speak
So when it comes to that thing that gets us in trouble more than anything About us our mouths
The words that we say don't they get us in trouble and we can't take them back. Can we we're already messed up when they come out
When it comes to that all -important thing of our words Jesus rule was this
I just don't say anything of myself. I Which the father
Would have me speak Verse 50 and I know that his commandment is life everlasting
Whatsoever I speak therefore even as the father said it unto me So I speak
So would you say that Jesus had his own mind? Yes But he had the mind of the father didn't he and his mind in the father's mind were one mind
So that when he so perfectly in the life of Jesus that when he spoke He was speaking the words of the father only when he worked with his hands
He was doing the work that the father was doing in the world only He said if you don't believe me believe me for the work's sake
Why could he say that because his works were God's works on the earth and people could see it This is our model
Now Go to John chapter 9 verse 4. I'll show you something very interesting It continues talks about this same model, but then it introduces some information about us
It parallels us perfectly with the Lord Jesus and says if he is supposed to live that way then so are we
John 9 for I must work the works of him that sent me. So do you see the self of Jesus coming out here?
No You see him yielding himself to the father and having the mind of God and doing the works of God So he says
I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work now look at verse 5 as Long as I am the in the world.
I am the light of the world Now I want you to hang on to that thought a moment because we're gonna get some information about us
That deals with life so keep that in mind now turn to John 14 in verse 10
The Bible makes a perfect parallel between Jesus having the mind of God and us having the mind of Christ It works the same way the same mechanism
God has given us the same mechanism Jesus Christ had It's amazing to think about now look at John 14 10
Excuse me. First. It's going to show Jesus living this way and then it's going to give some information about us
John 14 10 believe it's now not that I am in the father and the father in me.
Well, isn't it true that Jesus is in us and we're in Christ. That's true So that mechanism is the same the words that I speak unto you
I speak not of myself, but the father that dwells in me. He does the words and he does the works
Can that not be true of us? It can be But only when we're filled with the Spirit, that's why we're commanded to be filled with the
Spirit verse 11 Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the very works sake
Look at verse 12. It brings us into the picture Verily verily I say unto you in the light of what
I just said Jesus said just as that is true. This is doubly true.
That's what verily verily means It means truly truly I say unto you he that believes on me
The works that I do shall he do also. Do you see the parallel?
Jesus says I don't say any words unless they are the father's words I don't do any work unless it's the father's work
And now he says the work that I do shall you do it's the same thing
The works that we do ought to be his works because our mind and his mind ought to be one mind
So when we're in that state the very words we speak are the words He would speak were he in that situation
The very works that we would do or the works that he would do because he's not here on this earth physically
We are his body in this world Verily verily I say unto you he that believes on me the works that I do shall he do also
It's not like we look and see what he does and we go do it. It says we do it Also, we're doing it together at the same time.
Do you see that? It's not emulating works. It's not finding a list somewhere of everything
Jesus would do It's not that it's walking in time and space and walking forward with him hand -in -hand
One with us both doing the works at the same time and they happen to be the same works
The reason we can do these works and he says and greater works and these shall he do because I go to my father
Because now since Jesus has gone to the father He through the
Holy Spirit is omnipresent And therefore he can work one and one and be one with each one of us at the same time all over this planet
That is a greater work than he walking as one man on this earth was if you can believe that it is truly a greater work
Jesus said so Whatsoever you shall ask in my name that will I do that the father may be glorified in the
Son Why is prayer important to get stuff we need? not primarily
Not at all in this context prayer is important because it aligns us with the words of God and the works of God and the will of God and Causes our very next step to be the step.
He is taking in us Now it's interesting if you drop down to verse 17 in John chapter 14
He says it's good if I go because I will send a comforter that he may abide with you forever in verse 17 says
This is even the spirit of truth. And I want you to look as we read this passage to this progression
There is a he dwelling in us there is an
I Dwelling in us and there is a we dwelling in us
Look for the he the I and the we and circle it in your Bible verse 17
Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not Neither knoweth him, but ye know him for he
That's a hint. I said it louder. So there's the he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.
I Will not leave you comfortless, but I Will come unto you
There's the I and that's Jesus G drop down to verse 23
Jesus answered and said unto him if a man loved me, he will keep my words now
Why is that because we're doing his words and his works? We're one with him
We have one mind with Christ. We have the mind of Christ and my father will love him and We now circle the week will come unto him and make our abode with him
So now you see that the Holy Spirit living in you is Both a he which is the
Holy Spirit and I which is the Son of God Jesus Christ and a we which includes the
Father So you have all of the fullness of the Godhead living in your temple today
Can you grasp that? The words that you say ought to be his words
That's why the Bible says when we speak to one another the words ought to always be edifying Building up the book the person that we're speaking to never tearing him down Because Jesus never tore down anyone on this earth and the harshest words
He ever had were to Satan seed when he looked at them and said you're of your father the devil He was speaking to the religious leaders who had had all these rules and everything to to what they said was
God's way And God never said it was that way He said where I go you cannot go
Because you're of your father the devil So watch out for the religious ones around you.
They're not walking in Christ They're walking in the spirit of the anti Christ It will get stronger and stronger in these last days
But we have the Holy Spirit who brings to us the Son and the
Father And we are complete How is it that we have the mind of Christ then because we have the mind of Christ Not because we emulate some rules or find out how he lived and try to copy it because we have his mind
We are one with him now Remember the verse in John 9 for where it says as long as I am in the world
I am the light of the world. He said I must work the works of him that sent me
Check out Matthew 5 14. What does it say? ye are the light of the world a
City that is set on a hill Cannot be hid
Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick that it giveth light unto all that are in the house
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father
Which is in heaven think not that I came to destroy the law and the prophets you see when we say that we are complete
In him and therefore we're above the law and the prophets doesn't mean we destroy it What it literally means is it is fulfilled because in Christ the law is fulfilled to its fullest
So I didn't come to destroy the law or the prophets I am NOT come to destroy but to fulfill and how is it fulfilled when we are one?
When our spirit is one with his spirit When our mind is one with his mind
Then the works that are done in this world are greater than the works when he was walking in this world because he walks in all of us and the
He the I and the we are in all now
It's interesting that he says think not that I come to destroy the law and the prophets I am NOT come to destroy but to fulfill he says for verily
I tell you the truth till heaven and earth pass One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law
Till all be fulfilled Now I want you to turn with me to 1st
Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 13 I Want to give you three verses now that show
That the mechanism is the same as it was between Jesus and the Father I'm going to give you three different passages
First Corinthians 12 13 is the first one For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body?
whether we be Jews or Gentiles or that we be bond or free and Have been all made to drink into one spirit
That drinking into one spirit is a picture of our spirit Being merged together and becoming one with the
Holy Spirit who has entered our body at the moment of salvation That's why it says baptized into one body now.
Listen that were bad Pete. So doesn't mean anything to do with water a
Lot of people confuse that they think baptized means you sprinkle or you dip or you pour you dunk It doesn't mean that primarily it can if it's talking about water baptism
But the word baptized is not even an English word Think of it this way. It means to be placed into That's what the literal
Greek word means So if you read it that way for by one spirit, are we all placed into one body?
Now water baptism pictures that because when you step into the water It pictures that you died with Jesus when you go under the water pictures
You're buried with him and when you come out you're risen again with him because you're in Christ You've been placed in him
So that when he died you were in him when he buried you were any when you read when he rose again You were in him in God's mind
That's why your sins are forgiven. Listen. God is the ever -present now
He doesn't have to go back in time or forward in time. He's now all the time You can't even talk about it, right?
But he's the now he says I am Period I am
So the day that Jesus died on the cross, do you know that the father? Saw every sin of your whole life between the day you were born the day you're going to die out there
He's already grabbed all that in every sin you've ever done and placed those into the body of Jesus the day that he died
That's what it means to say you were baptized in Christ you were placed in his body in God's Minds, I he already knew the future
He already knew every sin you would do because you were his he placed those sins in the body of Jesus and he was
Crucified and he died not for his sins for he had none.
He died for years in mind That's What being baptized into his body means it doesn't mean baptized water
It means we were placed in his body by God spiritually were replaced in him when he was on that cross
Suspended dying you were dying with him. The old man was dying with him
He had no old man or sins of his own. It was all about your sins not his and Our sins were in him on the tree the
Bible says so By one spirit the
Holy Spirit who can move about in time in space. He's on my present
He's everywhere at once. He's every wind at once Can take your sins spiritually and take them back and place them in the body of Christ and that's what happened
So they're covered They have been paid for you cannot add anything to that.
It happened 2 ,000 years ago from our reckoning of time You can't add to that Nothing you can do can add to that If being in Christ when he died and shed his blood didn't pay for your sins
Then you are lost forever. No man's religion will ever add anything to make that better so throw man's religion out and Just praise
God and thank him for the precious blood of Jesus and that time that he spent on the cross one day
Some 2 ,000 years ago and the fact that God being not bound by time was able to see your whole life and place you in him
So that you died with him your old man died with him and is crucified
Stands crucified. That's why the flesh has no right of lordship over you. It shouldn't tell you what to do
Do you know you should tell it what to do? You should tell your body serve
God and it should do it Because he that's in us is greater than he that's in the world
So we're baptized by one spirit into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles where their bond are free for we've all made to Drink into one spirit
Now, let me let you see another one Ephesians 2 18 keep your hand there in Corinthians.
Oh, we're gonna come right back to 1st Corinthians for this last verse Ephesians 2 18
For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father
Do you see that That's the we that was in us we read earlier
I is the Holy Spirit I'm sorry. He is the Holy Spirit. I was
Jesus. He said I will come into you and the we includes the father for through Jesus We both have access by one
Holy Spirit Unto the father both means the Jew and the
Gentile by the way That is the great mystery That the
Old Testament prophets looked into but couldn't understand and that's why they killed Jesus because they didn't understand this mystery
That we're complete in him We have access because of Jesus by the
Holy Spirit Unto God We don't go through anybody else
Jesus We have been placed in Jesus remember the verse we just read where it says by one spirit
We are placed into his body. Where is his body right now? Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God.
Guess where you are You are in Christ. You've been baptized into Christ You are sitting at the right hand of God.
You have access to the father because you're in Christ. You're complete in him There's nothing greater can be done for you
It's been done. That's why we call it the finished work of Jesus You know, one of the last things he said before he died on the cross it is
Finished that proves he did it. We don't do it in that wonderful now I want to go to the last verse 1st
Corinthians 6 16. This is an amazing passage When I read it from my notes,
I'm going to leave a little part of the phrase out So your I will see what the whole verse says, but I want your ear to hear the way
I read it Because what God does is he makes a likening of the physical union of a man and woman
To the spiritual union of my spirit and in God's spirit or your spirit and God's spirit so the earthly Union of man and woman is used as a picture a physical picture
To help us understand the oneness that we have with God now. Listen to me as I read it what?
Know you not that he which is joined is one body For to say it he
Shall be one flesh. Do you see the oneness there that it speaks of now? Look at verse 17.
It gives the spiritual picture, but he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit
So, what does it mean to have the mind of Christ? Here's your spirit you get saved the
Holy Spirit comes to dwell in your body You learn what it means to be spirit filled and you say you learn to simply apply it this way say
Lord Give me the mind of Christ and you become one mind one spirit
The words that he would say you would say the works that he would do
You would work the steps that you're going to take the very next one is going to be his steps
Because you're one with his mind Now next time we will take a look at what his mind is like But I wanted to teach this first so that you won't try to emulate that It's wonderful to see it and know about it because you can use that as a check upon Yourself and I can use it to check myself to see if I'm connected
Because when I'm connected my mind is like that and when I'm like this my mind is David and you don't like that We don't understand how bad we really are sometimes we should go back to the depravity of man more often
But we need to stay like this and this is what brings unity in the church.
We're all different. We're all from different backgrounds You know, we're all so different.
We should never get along with one another, but you know what when we're all like this We not only have one mind with Christ.
We have one mind with each other the Bible says The church has one mind when we're spirit -filled
So that is how it's done. Now. Let me say practical application. You're you're You're tempted with a sin today or tomorrow
Please practice this go immediately to prayer and say Lord. I Don't even like that thought or that vision or that thing that came before me
So I ask that you give me the mind of Jesus Christ right now that I might think like he would think
That I might react as he would react that I might be as he would be and you know what that temptation will flee
You will not fulfill fulfill that sin try that it works Because it's not an it it's a relationship
It's a holding hands with the powerful one who is greater than anything And he'll take you through any temptation.
You can go for great seasons without sinning Many many days in a row if you walk one in one if you stay one
With the mind of Christ and if every temptation that comes you practice Saying to the
Lord Lord, give me the precious sweet. Holy beautiful mind of Christ right now
Because this one I'm thinking with is not that way So give me his mind and you become like this and you will not do the sin.
You will glorify God And that's the practical way.
So let's stand and have prayer together next time We will mention go through some scriptures and talk about The attributes of the mind of Christ Father we thank you for your word.
It is so powerful and so wonderful so encouraging so quickening Please apply it to our minds in such a way that we'll walk out of here today and apply these truths
And Lord, we ask you to bless our fellowship together and the food. We're about to have and we ask it in Jesus name.